The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) is tipping a bumper chickpea harvest this season, and that’s great news for local farmers.As the weather warms up, thoughts of local crop producers are turning to the upcoming harvest with hopes for a profitable season. Rabobank’s agricultural analysts are predicting historically high levels of pulse production this season, meaning chickpeas, beans, lentils, and peas will be in plentiful supply. This is a bonus for local growers, with local winter plantings for these commodities having increased in 2024.Across the state, chickpea plantings are estimated to have increased by 133 per cent showing the largest year-on-year percentage increase among winter crops in New South Wales.The increase in area planted is due to the Indian government’s announcement of a tariff free period for Australian chickpea exports meaning an increase in prices.Generally there has been a strong international demand for pulses and agronomist, Graeme Callaghan from Delta Agribusiness in Coonamble, said that local conditions are looking good for chickpeas.“Everything is looking good out in the paddock at this stage,” Mr Callaghan said. “Chickpeas are a common crop locally, but we have seen an increase in the number of hectares planted with that commodity this year.”“Previously, when we had three years of drought, farmers were looking for ground cover which meant a lot of cereals were planted. At that time chickpea prices were not flash anyway, thanks to many factors including tariffs from India," he said.How things have changed - RabobankSpeaking on the podcast Racing pulses in Australian and global markets, RaboResearch general manager of Australia and New Zealand Stefan Vogel reiterated the 2024/25 Australian pulse harvest is expected to exceed last year’s volumes, due to a higher area planted (such as in Coonamble) and despite dry seasonal conditions in some growing areas (such as South Australia).“Until the September frost events in southern growing areas, Australia was poised to deliver the second-highest pulse harvest on record, at just under 4.5 million tonnes,” he said. “Harvest yields will be down as a result of the frosts, but there is hopefully still time for post-frost regrowth and recovery in production.”Mr Callaghan said while frosts had been reported in crops over winter and spring, the western plains farmers had escaped the worst effects.“Frosts have been more prevalent in the south of the state,” he said. “Locally, we have been touched a little bit which could potentially affect yields, but nothing compared to other regions.“We’ve come a way since chickpeas weren’t an attractive crop type, but while the area cropped now is certainly larger, we are probably getting back to the level where we were previously. Farmers have looked at a variety of rotations over the last few years, including oilseeds, but chickpeas are more reliable for us, because we generally are in a drier area."Overall, ABARES forecast winter crop production in New South Wales to increase by 50% to 16.9 million tonnes in 2024–25, resulting in the third highest production on record. This improvement in production prospects follows high levels of soil moisture at the time of planting and good rainfall. Chickpea plantings are estimated to have increased by 133% showing the largest year-on-year percentage increase among winter crops in New South Wales this season.Of course, every farmer knows not to count on their harvest until it is safely in the silo, but fingers crossed, this harvesting season is looking promising.

Heavy storm activity travelling from South Australia to the east coast is expected to hit the Western Plains area early tomorrow morning.Northwest NSW has a heightened chance of getting struck by a supercell, bringing with it strong gusts of wind and severe hail, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). The storm caused several warnings across SA, with wind gusts up to 90 kilometres per hour. The more severe storms are expected to hit northwest NSW between 3pm and 9pm on Friday, including heavy rainfall, damaging gusts of wind, potential risk for flash flooding and a minor risk of hail.  Meteorologist Jake Phillips said that Bourke and Cobar may already have seen some lightning in recent days. "Most of the storm activity has been further to the west but overnight we are expecting more storm activity to develop through the central parts of the state. "Most areas can expect 10 to 20 mm but some areas could see an excess of 40 to 50 mm," he said.  

The skills and produce of our farmers will be on show, as King Charles III and Queen Camilla are hosted at a barbeque by NSW Premier Chris Minns this week, but there's frustration that the monarch's will not visit the regions.The Parramatta event will showcase regional NSW produce during the royal visit, which begins tomorrow and stretches to the 23rd. “We look forward to hosting Their Majesties at the community BBQ where they will get to experience some of the best produce, grown by the farmers of NSW," Mr Minns said. The event offers an opportunity for the royals to connect with the bush, on a tight schedule. It will include a showcase of produce from farmers across the state, with support from the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales and a sheep dog demonstration.  Saunders criticalAccording to the Premier the royal tour has been scaled back following the King’s battle with cancer, and has been organised by the monarchs, thus leaving the trip schedule out of the hands of the Government.State member for Dubbo, Dugald Saunders is critical. “Minns said famously during the last election campaign that he was a city dweller who didn’t 'pretend to have any expertise about regional NSW.' “Last month he referred to Tamworth as North Eastern NSW, and now he’s thinking Parramatta qualifies as regional NSW. “We all know Labor thinks NSW is only Newcastle, Sydney and Wollongong, but this is ridiculous,” said Mr Saunders. Roy Butler Independent Member for Barwon said, "we sought through the Premier's office to have the royal visit come to Broken Hill to visit the Royals Flying Doctor Service due to the King's associated patronage. However, the King's ill health was a limiting factor in his ability to travel. "I hope that regional NSW will be a prominent feature of the itinerary during a future royal visit," said Mr Butler. A Cobar resident who wished to remain anonymous said, "it is disappointing the King and Queen will not come out to visit rural and regional Australia as we really do have so much to offer out here. Though it must be said that Parramatta is definitely not rural that's for sure. "Hopefully on their next visit they will come out to see the amazing rural areas we live in."

The NSW government may have boosted fines for water theft, but Macquarie Marshes grazier Garry Hall says that will matter little if the regulator doesn't have more physical presence in communities. Water changes applied by Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) from 20 September raised maximum penalties for serious water theft offences from $750 to $7,700 for individuals and from $1,500 to $15,400 for corporations. The government says the increase will send a message to rulebreakers, but while Mr Hall welcomes the move, he says the regulator needs to be more approachable if it wants locals to report wrongdoing. "While NRAR's a very useful bureaucracy, they've got a long way to go before they're respected in the community, because they're only brand new," said Mr Hall, also the president of the Macquarie Marshes Environmental Landholders Association (MMELA). "Trust is gained by awareness and being a physical presence in the community. At the moment, if you've got an allegation, you just got on the top of the pile somewhere far away. "You google NRAR and you fill in a letter or someone will answer the phone, but it'll be a different person every time. "It would be better if we if all had a name and number that you could ring and talk to individuals. Trust is built by building relationships."Grazier Garry Hall. PHOTO: Leanne HallNRAR was established in 2017, aimed at enforcing lawful water use and ensuring communities received their fair share.  Penalties for offences including illegally constructing works like water bores, pumps and dams have risen from $750 to $3,000 for individuals and from $1,500 to $6,000 for companies. The government says it has also updated the way value is calculated for illegally taken water to allow NRAR to impose heavier fines, in some cases by more than $400 per megalitre. "This is about punishing those who violate regulations, not responsible water users who seek our support to meet compliance standards," NRAR Chief Regulatory Officer Grant Barnes said. "With water entitlements in NSW valued at up to $41 billion, the penalties for illegally taking this resource need to reflect its worth." Besides public tip-offs, the regulator can begin investigations from reports by other agencies and its own audits and site visits. According to the NRAR website, it prioritises cases that could cause the most harm to the environment and the community.An RNAR spokesperson said that 63 per cent of its 201 staff are regionally based."NRAR is responsible for water law enforcement across 800,000 square kilometres – an area larger than the UK and France combined," the spokesperson said."During the 2023-24 financial year, our outreach staff did 3649 site visits to properties, attended 20 stakeholder events, had 127 face-to-face meetings with key stakeholder groups, and set up 23 bespoke education sessions for specific groups.Our call centre dealt with 5095 public enquiries during the same period."These methods help us stay connected to water users who need help complying with the rules."

Golden Guitar winner Tom Curtain will visit Warren's St Mary' Parish School to drive discussion around empathy in school children. The country singer will pass through on 18 October as part of a five-month tour across Australia including Melbourne and the Sydney suburb of Blacktown. One of the songs he is singing on the tour is Speak Up, inspired by 14-year-old Amy 'Dolly' Everett, who took her own life due to cyberbullying. "If we can instil a bit of hope and drive in a lot of these kids, I think it'd be pretty special," Tom said. "We've got a few funny songs about the characters we meet and a few animals that we've heard about on the way. "So, we'll do a couple of those songs as well, and just talk to the kids about how they should treat people."Tom Curtain at Mirboo North Public School in southern Victoria. PHOTO: suppliedTom will also take a question and answer session for the students. So far he says the questions tend to focus on his experience as a music performer, although he also fields "a few" on cyberbullying. "It's mainly parents emailing and messaging after we've been to the school and saying 'thanks so much for touching on that topic about bullying,'" Tom said. "When I first wrote the song, speak out, I didn't really think much of it. It was just our way of helping out, but I have seen and heard the feedback from a pretty phenomenal response."

‘A Million Reasons to Care’ is the theme for National Carers Week (13-19 October) this week. With the aim of increasing awareness of the diversity of carers in our communities, and how best to support them, the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) is keen to celebrate carers and muster ideas on how to improve their lives and those they care for. President of the RDAA, Dr RT Lewandowski, said that particularly in rural areas carers were essential to enabling older people to remain near family and friends for as long as possible. “There are more than three million Australians providing unpaid care for a family member or friend, many of these in rural areas,” Dr Lewandowski said. “The variety of care needs is immense, with every situation different. Some carers provide 24-hour nursing to a family member with high care needs while others may support people who are fairly independent. Those needing care may suffer from a disability, mental health condition, chronic condition, terminal illness, an alcohol or other drug issue or who are frail aged. “Anyone can become a carer at any time and people become carers in different ways. Sometimes it happens gradually as more help is needed as a person's health and independence deteriorates, or it may happen very suddenly, after a health crisis (like a stroke or heart attack) or an accident. “Carers are an important provider of comfort, encouragement and reassurance to the person they care for, helping them stay as independent as possible and maintain a good quality of life. “In rural areas there are simply fewer options for residential care, such as aged care or respite facilities, and less access to paid carers, meaning that family and friends quickly become essential to many people being able to remain within their community. This can put an enormous amount of pressure on the carer. “While for some caring is what they choose to do, others feel like they don't have any choice in their caring role. Regardless of how or why a person becomes a carer, they all share the need to balance of caring responsibilities with other responsibilities like work, study and their physical and mental health.”Love keeps you going Central West resident Kay Hotham has been caring for her elderly husband for several years and says it is hard most days, but love is what keeps her going. “I am 81 years old and I care for my 85 year old husband in our home, we have been married for 62 years. It is very hard to care for someone day in and day out when you are not all that well yourself, but we don’t want to go to a nursing home just yet,” she laughs. “There are so many challenges as a carer, and I can only speak for myself, but I imagine a lot of carers do it out of love for partners, children and family. It is rewarding to know you are helping those you love but if truthful it is also very hard most days.” Surveys of carers have shown consistently high levels of psychological distress, feelings of social isolation, higher levels of chronic health conditions and increases in financial hardship. With this, comes the need for families, communities, service providers, governments and employers to understand the challenges of caring so that the support options available can be continually expanded and improved. “Caring can be very rewarding, but it can also be very challenging, taking a lot of time, energy and resources,” Dr Lewandowski said. “This stress can affect carers’ health and wellbeing and limit their ability to participate in paid work, family life and social and community activities. “There really are ‘Millions of Reasons to Care’, but whatever the situation, carers need the ongoing support of all Australians: from government to businesses, classrooms to families, and medical professionals to communities, and caring for carers should be a priority even outside of National Carers Week.” Visit carersweek.com.au o find out how you can support a carer.

Union representatives will meet with Graincorp this Friday to attempt to break bread.The meeting is the next step in attempting to improve working conditions for grain handlers, according to the Australian Workers Union (AWU), who say the workers, who move and store wheat, canola, barley and other grains, have seen their pay go backwards over the last three years.The Fair Work Commission has stipulated that the two parties must meet as part of a compulsory conciliation.Should negotiations break down on Friday, the 200 workers may decide to refuse to load or unload grain trucks and trains after an application was made to the Fair Work Commission to hold a ‘protected action ballot’ application on Tuesday.A spokesperson for GrainCorp said the company continues to negotiate in good faith with both employees and the AWU and had held 10 meetings with them in the last six months. “It is disappointing that the Union has indicated that it intends to take industrial action ahead of both this conciliation and a formal vote by its members,” the spokesperson said. “We respect the rights of our workers to take protected industrial action and remain committed to working collaboratively through this process. “Our goal is to continue these discussions constructively, ensuring a positive outcome for our employees while maintaining a strong and reliable service for growers on site,” Graincorp said.Pay versus profit The Union says in 2021, 2022 and 2023 grain handlers received an annual increase of only 2% a year, despite inflation rising at a rate of 2.86%, 6.59% and 4.10% respectively, meaning wages have declined by 7.5%. This, in spite of a Graincorp profit of $139 million in 2021, in 2022 of $177 million and $250 million in 2023. AWU NSW Secretary Tony Callinan said grain handlers are frustrated and running out of patience. “Graincorp aren’t negotiating in good faith and their grain handlers have had a gutful,” said Mr Callinan. “In 2022 we wrote to them saying due to inflation going through the roof they should pay grain handling staff more, and they said if their workers want more money they can work overtime, then they took the overtime away. “Meanwhile the top knobs at Graincorp are giving themselves $25,000 a year increases, one bloke’s on over a $1 million a year, another’s on $700,000 and a few more are on $500,000 plus. “Our members’ have been bringing in bumper harvests, delivering big profits, and Graincorp just kicks them in the guts every time. “This year has been another good year and with the grain harvest about to commence in the coming weeks AWU members will be taking industrial action during this bumper harvest period. “Every extra dollar our members earn ends up in the green grocers, newsagents and sports shops of Moree, Barellan, Parkes, Trange, Warren, and Gilgandra, it doesn't go offshore into shareholders pockets in the form of corporate profits. “Our members in NSW do the same work as members in Queensland and only want to be paid the same, that’s just plain fair, the same pay for the same job, you don’t need an ethics degree to work that out. “Our members now have no choice, they will have to refuse to load grain trains otherwise Graincorp management just won’t listen,” said Mr Callinan. 

One of the first duties of new Narromine Shire Council Mayor, Ewen Jones, was to attend the local Dolly Parton Festival, and he loved every minute of it!“This was the third Dolly Parton Festival in Narromine,” Cr Jones said. “It's been in the making for quite some time, but Covid stopped the first few from going ahead. This year we had about 1500 people at the oval on Sunday night for the bands and there were 1000 people in the streets at times.”Narromine was singing “Here You Come Again” at top note, welcoming the 2024 Dolly Parton Festival which transformed the town into a vibrant celebration of music, fun and community spirit.But, why Dolly Parton?“A few years back the locals got together and decided we needed some kind of event to put a bit of a cash injection into the local economy and they decided on a Dolly Parton Festival,” Cr Jones said. “Unfortunately, earlier this year the event was cancelled. We were grateful for the state government stepping in with funding, as that enabled to go ahead. The thing is that came with a stipulation of free entry to the event which doesn't give any scope to put funds away for next year, so we will have to look into community funding, and we’ve already made a start with that.”Special guests at the event (besides the many Dollys) included Jennifer Aitchison, Minister for Regional Transport and Road, who attended festivities on the Saturday night.“It was lovely to meet her, and we also had Dugald Saunders attend," Mr Jones said. “It was a great atmosphere and no sign of any trouble. Everybody was just happy and having a great time.”Dandaloo Street was closed off for the festivities, with the whole community coming together in perfect spring weather for a street party that kicked off the fun. The event featured live performances, food, market stalls, children’s activities, and of course, plenty of people dressing up as Dolly and Kenny!“Islands in the Stream” played on as Narromine’s Cale Oval hosted the main evening event, with performances from stars like Tanya Andrew, Timberlina, and Brooke McMullen.The crowd also cheered for the best-dressed Dolly and Kenny lookalikes. The band Ballz'N'All brought the evening to a close, keeping the festival goers dancing and singing until late.Once again, the realisation of the 2024 Narromine Dolly Parton Festival was made possible by a dedicated team of volunteers, led by Susie Rae and Skye Rush, whose efforts turned the event into a true "Coat of Many Colours" triumph.Narromine Shire Council thanked the community for embracing this fun-filled event and making it a calendar highlight. The organising committee also extended gratitude to everyone who joined came along to celebrate.“From the foot-stomping music and dazzling costumes to the delicious food and incredible atmosphere, it was truly a celebration to remember. Your enthusiasm and support made this festival shine brighter than a rhinestone cowboy!” the committee said on social media.“A special shout-out to all the volunteers, performers, vendors, and sponsors (and an extra big shout out to Phil at Narromine Shire Council) who worked tirelessly to make this event a success. We couldn't have done it without your dedication and passion!We hope you all had a fantastic time singing, dancing, and creating unforgettable memories with us. Stay tuned for updates on next year's festivities—it's sure to be even bigger and better!""Until then, keep spreading the Dolly spirit and take care, y'all!”

A 12-year-old Noona girl has been located safe and well after she was reported missing on Saturday.   Police made a public call for information on 12 October for the girl's whereabouts after she had last been spotted in the area, about 80 kilometres west of Cobar. Last seen in a Sydney Roosters football jersey and Crocs shoes, police held concerns because of her age. "With the assistance of officers from the SES, Rural Fire Service and numerous landowners using quad bikes and helicopters, conducted an extensive search of bushland in Noona. About 5.30pm, the girl was located safe," a police representative said. "Central North Police District would like to thank the community and the media for their assistance."

Environmentalists are pushing for the Macquarie Marshes to be relisted for environmental protections as public comments to the federal government close tomorrow. The government gave the Marshes 'Threatened Ecological Community' status in the 2013, which was reversed in December that year after the new Liberal-Nationals government took office from Labor. Nature Conservation Council water campaigner Mel Gray said the body will make a submission. "We need more layers of protection for this really special and important landscape," she said. "What we've seen in recent times is mining exploration licenses issued for key parts at the heart of the Macquarie Marshes right near Ramsar wetlands and the nature reserve, in the actual wetland itself. "The Macquaire Marshes are a patchwork of interconnected wetlands and floodplains that form one of the largest remaining semi-permanent wetlands in southern Australia, and they're a crucially important site for waterbird breeding." READ: Rare endangered bird tagged in Macquarie Marshes A Ramsar-listed site is a wetland listed as internationally important under the 1975 Ramsar Convention established by UNESCO. Each year the federal government invites public nominations for areas that merit 'threatened' listing under national environmental law. The "Wetlands and inner floodplains of the Macquarie Marshes" were nominated in 2023 for 'endangered' and 'critically endangered' status.The marshes provide habitat to wetland bird species. PHOTO: Leanne Hall That nomination is taking public comment as part of what is called the draft Conservation Advice. The Threatened Species Scientific Committee is due to hand their advice to the Minister for Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek, by 29 November 2024. River ecologist Professor Richard Kingsford, who has worked in the Macquarie Marshes for 25 years, said the listing would cover more of the Marshes under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.  "That doesn't mean that developments don't go ahead, but there's a much higher bar to go over, and it also means scrutiny by the federal government on any developments that might cause problems," said Prof. Kingsford, also Director of the Center for Ecosystem Science at the University of New South Wales."It has all of the challenges of any inland areas in terms of things like pigs and cats and foxes. "What we're trying to do here - and the government's trying to do here - is really get as much protection for the system as possible." Concerns were raised for the Marshes after the NSW Resources Regulator granted approval in April for Canadian mining company Australian Consolidated Gold Holdings to explore for copper and gold in the wetland reserve. The approval was overturned on 25 July and the company was given until 23 August to submit more information for its application. The miner and its opponents are still waiting for the regulator's final call.

Traffic west of Cobar on the Barrier Highway was diverted for up to ten hours after a fatal crash yesterday.Normal access has resumed in the area following the single-vehicle crash that killed a 14-year-old boy yesterday morning. Police confirmed that traffic reopened at around 7:30pm last night between Cobar and Wilcannia.  The highway was closed for around nine to ten hours as emergency services, Transport for NSW and the Crash Investigation Unit attended the scene in Cubba, about 25 kilometres west of Cobar. Motorists travelling between Cobar and Wilcannia stood to add around 6.5 hours to their travel time due to diversions, according to Live Traffic NSW.  The teenager was one of four passengers in the car. Two of the passengers were not injured.  The 23-year-old driver was uninjured and taken to Cobar District Hospital for mandatory testing. She was later taken to Cobar Police Station and charged with dangerous driving occasioning death. She was given conditional bail to appear before Cobar Local Court on Wednesday 27 November 2024. 

The head of a body representing Bourke, Walgett and Cobar shires has welcomed a federal government report mapping its approach to regional aviation.   The Aviation White Paper, released in August, sets the government's long-term policy agenda and said the Productivity Commission (PC) will hold a review of regional airfares.  "It's good that the government's recognised that connecting regional Australia is critical from a wide range in viewpoints, like in relation to health, education, training, availability of professional services and getting people to remote areas," said Ross Earl, Executive Officer of the Far North West Joint Organisation.  The 240-page report said the PC inquiry will probe impacts of regional airfares and advise on ways to "maintain appropriate levels of regional air connectivity at acceptable prices."  The report said that existing programs supporting remote and regional airport upgrades, like the Remote Airstrip Upgrade Program (RAU), are "oversubscribed" and need "strategic investment."   It also said the government will update the RAU's grant guidelines to consider how applicants’ activities support Closing the Gap targets, like improving access to health services.   The paper was released after regional carrier Rex Airlines, which runs routes between Dubbo and Sydney, entered into voluntary administration in July.   The federal government committed to guaranteeing Rex customers during the administration period, meaning they will be entitled to a full refund if their flights are cancelled.   "In Aviation White Paper consultations, stakeholders expressed the firm view that regional aviation is increasingly not adequately serving the community’s needs, with high prices and limited services. Competition in regional aviation has been reducing since the deregulation of aviation in the 1990s," the white paper said.   "Between 1989 and 2021, the number of regional routes fell from 458 to 291 and the number of remote routes fell from 264 to 163.144 Many routes are now serviced by a monopoly operator." 

The next step in tougher bail laws for people charged with serious domestic violence offences has just begun. From Friday 11 October any alleged serious domestic violence offender who is granted bail will be electronically monitored around the clock using GPS technology. The new program allows Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) to track alleged offenders against geographic bail conditions.If an alleged offender enters an exclusion zone, such as residential addresses, school and work locations for people in need of protection, a notification to CSNSW will be triggeredOnce they are aware of the breach, corrections officers will contact NSW Police. If there are concerns for a person in need of protection, the Corrections team can also alert them to a potential bail breach in real time, allowing potential victims to enact their safety plan.Andrew Mensforth, Acting Superintendent for the Central North Police District, is currently based in Walgett and said while local police do not directly oversee people with electronic monitoring devices, they are quickly notified should someone breach their conditions.“We are informed if there is a breach in regard to the monitoring and quickly respond to that,” he said. “There are several people out in the field that we look after already.”“The monitoring has always been there, but the government has now given police extra powers that, if we arrest someone and think it’s necessary, we can request that this monitoring can go on.”The Government has also introduced legislation to create Serious Domestic Abuse Prevention Orders. These new orders will allow the court to impose any conditions considered appropriate to prevent a person’s involvement in domestic abuse.  It’s not a title that any region wants to have, but in recent years, the Far West and Orana Region is has had the highest rate of domestic violence related assaults of any geographic region in NSW. It also has the highest number of domestic violence incidents occasioning grievous bodily harm. In the 12 months to March 2020, Coonamble, Walgett, Broken Hill and Dubbo Regional council areas, in particular, ranked as four of the top five local government areas for highest rates of domestic violence related assault, with rates up to 7.5 times higher than the state average.Minister for Corrections Anoulack Chanthivong said women, children, and others in danger deserve to live their lives in safety, free from the threat of domestic violence.  “This intense monitoring shows alleged domestic violence offenders how serious the government is about preventing domestic violence on all front,” Mr Chantivong said.Jodie Harrison, who is Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault said the latest steps were part of a coordinated, multi-pronged response to addressing domestic and family violence in our state that includes earlier intervention and primary prevention. “Electronic monitoring of people accused of serious domestic violence while they are out on bail prioritises victim-survivors’ safety and ensures alleged perpetrators abide by their bail conditions," she said.  If you or someone you know is affected by domestic, family or sexual violence, please call the toll-free number 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for support on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or visit 1800respect.org.au 

It was a full program across Coonamble over the October Long Weekend.With the Greyhound Racing Carnival in full swing, their famous calcutta, the Harvest Lunch, the Tinderalla comedy show and a number of private celebrations, a free country music concert was the icing on the cake.Coonamble's main street was transformed on the night of Saturday 5 October for its first-ever Vision Splendid country music festival with big-name country acts Lee Kernaghan, the Wolfe Brothers and Coonamble's own Max Jackson. The main street was closed off from the early afternoon to allow for the bands to do their soundcheck. The event kicked off around 6 pm with Max Jackson playing some of her most well known songs and even introducing some new ones such a Hold My Horses. Following Max was long-time Australian country music singer Lee Kernaghan who had some diehard fans in the crowd cheering him on. While he was on stage, Lee commented that it was great to see small towns get put on the map with festivals that have the potential to attract people from all over Australia even beyond to come and see what's out west. It was almost impossible to count but several hundred people showed up for the lively nighttime event. The Coonamble Shire Council organised the festival with the help of the Open Streets grant, designed to reinvigorate the nightlife in town centres across the state. Along Castlereagh Street Swanny's Foods, Gumnut Cafe and the Global Village café kept their doors open and were bolstered by other food stalls from the Rotary and Lions Clubs, CWA and authentic Indian dishes from the Mobil Service Centre to feed the hungry crowd. "It was great," Global Village café owner Ahmad Karanouh said. "A bit loud but it was good."Castlereagh Street, Coonamble was packed with concert-goers jockeying for position. The station's manager Bill Carroll got the chance to interview Max Jackson and the singer signed six hats which the radio station will be giving away to listeners."It was absolutely fantastic," the new president of the Community Radio Station Martin Bennett said. "We had a great time."The Coonamble Shire Council said they were very pleased with how the event went. "We were very happy with it and the feedback almost universally was positive," Director of Community, Planning, Development & Environment Barry Broe said.  "The most common feedback was people said it was fantastic to see so many people in the main street, as well as the music itself being excellent."With entry limited to the northern end of the main street, some festival goers pointed out that for future events, access would need to be improved to accommodate wheelchairs and walkers, and better lighting to make people feel safe walking to their cars in the dark. Mr Broe said that council would like to hold a similar event again next year. "We would certainly like to hold such an event yearly, but it is subject to grant funding. "We will be having an internal de-brief with the full team to take any lessons from it, the positives and any areas to make it even better."  

Drivers are warned that the Barrier Highway is closed west of Cobar and they will need to take alternate routes for their travel in the area.Diversions available westbound from Cobar: Kidman Way to Goolgowi, Mid-Western Highway to ay and Cobb Highway to Wilcannia.Eastbound from Wilcannia: Cobb Highway to Hay, Mid-Western Highway to Goolgowie and Kidman Way to Cobar.Travel on these roads suit all terrain vehicles and are estimated to add 6.5 hours to your travel time.

The Barrier Highway, west of Cobar has been closed to traffic after a fatal accident this morning.A 14-year-old boy is reported to have died after the car he was travelling in rolled over near Cubba, 25km west of Cobar.Emergency services were called to the site shortly after 8:30am. The boy, who died at the scene, was one of four passengers in the vehicle.The driver, a 23-year-old woman, was not injured. She was arrested and taken to hospital for mandatory testing.Two other passengers were not injured.Police have established a crime scene and have begun investigations into the cause of the crash.The Barrier Hwy was closed in both directions at Cubba, between Kidman Way and the Cobb Hwy.Traffic diversions were in place and drivers have been advised to delay their travel until the highway reopens.A report will be prepared for the coroner.Anyone with any information or dashcam footage has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

Some may think it ironic that the subject of social media use has been such a hot topic in the media lately, but any irony is lost on organisations at the helm of a push to raise the minimum age for having social media accounts from 13 years to 16 years in Australia.Social media access has had free reign for too long - that is the sentiment as SA and NSW governments are planning to co-host their first-ever Social Media Summit, set to examine social media’s effects on young people. Meanwhile Change.org is petitioning to raise the minimum age for social media accounts and has garnered over 120,000 signatures.As a result of public pressure, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently announced his government’s plan to introduce legislation setting a minimum age for social media use. Instagram has also announced it will introduce "teen accounts" for people under 18, limiting what they can view and who can contact them. Evidence linking early exposure to social media with an increase in mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, cyberbullying, and self-harm among teenagers prompted Nova radio presenter Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli to back the campaign which has bipartisan support from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. “Over 120,000 Australians have come together to push for this change to 16,” Wippa said. “We’re giving young Australians the time they need to develop emotionally before exposing them to the pressures of the online world. This support for the Change.org petition is sending a clear message to the Prime Minister that we must do more to protect our kids by raising the age to 16." It is almost exactly a year since mobile phones were banned in high schools in New South Wales. The ban on mobile phones applies during class, recess, and lunch times.In the wake of new concerns, some western plains schools have tightened regulations even further.At Narromine High School, parents and caregivers were recently informed that the school’s mobile phone policy would be adjusted “to prevent anti-social behaviour and increase student engagement in learning.”Students will be required to have their mobile phones off and away from bell to bell, meaning once students arrive at school, it is expected that they have their mobile phones off and away. This extends to the use of smart watches, air pods and other listening devices. Although some exemptions will apply, students can face suspension after three incidents.IMAGE: Narromine High SchoolOf course, not everyone is happy with this proposed national plan to raise the minimum age for having social media accounts from 13 to 16 in Australia. Petitions have also been created to oppose the idea. Arguments against include that such a ban would isolate young people from essential online platforms that provide education, connection, and self-expression. “A current proposed blanket ban for social media for kids under the age of 16 will isolate large parts of our community who already face devastating isolation in their communities. "LGBQTIA+, neurodiverse kids, such as those with ADHD, ASD, mental health difficulties, kids with disabilities, and kids in violent families. We need a different solution to tackle the issues here,” petition creator, Leela Galen-Wynn said.The growing momentum in Australia to raise the minimum age for social media is part of a broader global movement of parents, educators, and advocates for stronger online protections to protect children from the dangers of early social media exposure and create safer online environments for young people. For more information about the campaigns and to view the petitions, visit Change.org/36Months or Change.org/LetThemBeKids 

Initial "technical difficulties" aside, the comedy show Tinderella performed by creative director of Theatre on Toast Alyce Fisher had the audience laughing out loud on the evening of 4 October.  "Not everything went according to plan but that's the beauty of live theatre, you just have to roll with what's happening live in the space. "Yes, unexpected things happened but we survived." The lighting got knocked over by the photographers and the audience took a while to warm up but in the end, the show turned out to be a success.  "It was hard work but it was a lot of fun," Ms Fisher told the Coonamble Times.  The two main characters of the show are Tinderella and her Fairy Godmother who also acts as the narrator and gives you a sneaky behind-the-scenes look at Tinderella's love life.  Tinderella herself is only introduced when she holds a TED Talk about how she uses Tinder and her credentials within the contemporary dating landscape.  "It's a very educational show but all grounded in storytelling, humour, and having a laugh." PHOTO: The Plaza Theatre came alive on Friday 4 October with the comedic (and fairly enlightening) performance of Tinderella. Around 40 people were in the audience.  "We were excited by the amount of people. It was incredible."  Ms Fisher said they welcomed people from all ages to the Coonamble show.  "We had people from their late teens right through to their 60s and 70s. There was a really good mix of genders as well." "I just love the Plaza Theatre. It's such a beautiful space. It's so wonderful it's being used again and I really do hope it continues to receive funding, so they can restore the building and take it back to its former glory in a contemporary way."  "As for any sort of country town, you're never quite sure who's going to show up and what kind of experiences they are going to have. That is why I treat every show in a unique way.  "I think it's a privilege to be invited out to regional communities and perform in venues that perhaps don't get as many people coming through."  Ms Fisher is currently writing a sequel to Tinderella called Parenting Partners which is about creating a family outside of heterosexual norm.

Conservationists made a rare breakthrough in the Macquarie Marshes this month when they tagged a tracker onto five Australian Painted Snipes (APS). The endangered species, which in a 2021 population count recorded just 340 mature-age birds, don't tend to stay in one spot for long. In fact, NSW wildlife ecologist Matt Herring's team had only caught two since they began tracking them almost two years ago as part of the Australian Painted Snipes and Information and Tracking Project.So when he received word about three weeks ago from graziers Garry and Leanne Hall saying they spotted around ten of the critters on their property on the edge of the Macquarie Marshes, Matt came out as quickly as he could with researcher Inka Velthiem. "Almost all of APS sights are just of one or two birds, and they're moving through. They're only there for perhaps a couple of days, a week if you're lucky," Matt said. "But then we have these tiny handful of sites like Garry and Leanne's, where the birds stay for months." The team first set up nets on Saturday 5 September where the birds had been seen concentrating.The birds were caught using mist nets over three days. PHOTO: Australian Painted Snipe Information and Tracking ProjectIn their first session, they caught Thomasina, named in honour of late Birding NSW president Tom Karplus, who died in August 2023. They caught Charuni and Knighty in the next section before Dan and Hope flew into the net during a final session on Monday night 7 October. "We were overjoyed. It's hard enough to find the birds in the first place, let alone catch put a transmitter on them," Matt said. "They're super rare, but for me I think they're the most beautiful bird in the world. Their pattern, their plumage, is just stunning. "They love shallow areas with this delicate balance of mud flats and vegetation cover- not too much, not too little. So, they're quite picky." A BirdLife Australia study published in 2014 found around 39 per cent of the recorded APS population were in the Murray-Darling Basin.An image taken of Hope, caught on Friday 7 September. PHOTO: Australian Painted Snipe Information and Tracking ProjectMatt said there isn't scientific certainty pointing to a particular reason for population decline, although he said habitat loss and feral predators like cats and foxes would have taken their toll. However, he said numbers could have received a boost from increased wetland habitat created by a rare three La Niñas over five years in Australia.  He hopes the trackers will help understand the bird's movement patterns and develop a path to conservation.  "Because they are so dynamic - they arrive at sites one day and then they're gone at the next - we suspect that there's some sort of migratory pattern," he said. "Those first two birds - Gloria and Marcelina - [tagged before the five in the Macquarie Marshes] have indicated what we speculated on, that there's some sort of north-south migration happening. "As it gets cold in the southern range, they start heading north. They basically chase they warmer weather." Bird-lovers can track the snipes' progress on the Australian Painted Snipe website.